‘Unexpected treat of the year was Henry Hemming's quest to discover whether Britain's proud tradition of social non-conformism is dying out. In Search Of The English Eccentric included delightful encounters with modern-day oddballs, from fashion designer Vivienne Westwood to the landowner who uses a medieval trebuchet to hurl dead cattle. Hemming argues that true eccentrics are historically stout defenders of civil liberties who enhance Britain's messy yet rich social tapestry.’

Metro, Non-Fiction of the Year

‘A funny, timely and moving encounter with a dying breed.’

Jon Ronson

‘An entertaining, intelligent account of the author's meetings with an eclectic assortment of famous and obscure cases.’

Michael Binyon
The Times

‘His pilgrimage in search of the British eccentric proves the life less ordinary is far from extinct.

[...] From peace protester Brian Haw to the reincarnation of King Arthur, the eccentric is clearly alive. It would have been easy to set these people up for ridicule, but Hemming sensitively delves into their psyches to offer a witty narrative.’

Emily Aldred
The Observer

‘From befriending a Hell’s Angel biker reincarnated as King Arthur to having tea with a suburban dominatrix and brawling with Pete Doherty,

Hemming finds all kinds of “non-conformists” who help refine his understanding of the eccentric. [...] While acknowledging a fine line between the eccentric and the insane, Hemming makes a convincing case for the ways in which eccentrics benefit any society or era.

Sally Raikes
Financial Times

‘Hemming keeps up a stream of comic patter, dropping in quotes from Hazlitt and Orwell.’

Ian Pindar
The Guardian

‘Hemming makes some good points, for example about the eccentricity of the monarchy, especially Prince Charles.’

Sunday Telegraph

‘Hemming argues persuasively that a social group needs a “non-conformist creative character in its midst” in order to be successful, but that eccentricity is under threat.

[...] The tone throughout is gently patriotic, and Hemming’s fondness for things English extends to the language itself. Lord Bath is “a man marooned by the event of himself” and things are viewed through the “constantly evolving cipher of morality”, but Hemming’s deftness in interviewing and critical reportage lets us forgive the odd vocabulary lesson. In Search of the English Eccentric is an intelligent and encouraging piece of writing.’

Josh Raymond
Times Literary Supplement

‘From the plastered quarters of the velvet-pantalooned Marquess of Bath, to the drafty Yorkshire sheep pen of modern “witch” Sue Woodcock and the Battersea-based atelier of Vivienne Westwood, Hemming discovers a type of person who remains indeterminable by sex, class or creed.’

Vogue

‘Hilarious.’

Daily Mail

‘The charming Henry Hemming offers up an exciting and thoughtful exploration into eccentricity, which, somewhere along the line, turns into an investigation of what it means to be English.

In Search of the English Eccentric is interesting and academic without being overly dense or dry. Hemming draws on a whole host of historians and philosophers from the last 400 years, including the brilliant John Stuart Mill (whose thoughts on individuality are as relevant as ever). [...] Every person Hemming encounters is drawn with a detail that makes the reader feel a part of his adventure. He offers insights but never judgements. [...] Hemming’s warm, inquisitive personality shines through every chapter.’

Hugh Armitage
Gay Times

‘Henry Hemming takes his cue from philosopher John Stuart Mill’s ringing declaration in his book On Liberty: ‘That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time.’

This should alert the casual reader expecting a cavalcade of crazy characters to the idea that there’s more going on here. Eccentricity is a kind of touchstone for the survival of individuality in a nation nannied into a sanitised lust for the conventional. [...] This is a shrewd and thought-provoking read that could teach you more about the real meaning of the phrase ‘lifestyle choice’ than any number of glossy magazine articles or interchangeable self-help books.’

Dave Lovely
Waterstones Books Quarterly

‘Hemming scours the land to discover that its beloved oddballs are alive and well … it still takes all sorts to make an England — and thank goodness for that.’

Tatler

‘Hemming retells his encounters with such colour that at times it is like spending a long weekend in a bed and breakfast run by Tim Burton... made me feel glad to be English again.’

Davey Spens
The Bookseller

'A poised, perceptive and frequently hilarious exploration of some of the nation's eccentrics'

Lonely Planet Guide to England

‘He not only makes a convincing case for his argument but, as a patriotic by-product, goes a long way towards defining precisely what it is to be English.’

Michael Karwowski
Contemporary Review

‘A funny, touching and thought-provoking book.’

Sara Horton
Gulf Daily News

‘Hemming writes well and entertainingly’

Mick Herron
Bookdealer

‘[Hemming is] an aficionado of the odd.’

Time Out

‘Sensitive and revealing’

Good Book Guide

‘A madly funny read’

The Field

‘Entertaining'

The Lady

In Search of the English Eccentric

‘The English eccentric is under threat. In our increasingly homogenised society, these celebrated parts of our national identity are anomalies that may soon no longer fit. Or so it seems. On his entertaining and thought-provoking quest to discover the most eccentric English person alive today, Henry Hemming unearths a surprisingly large array of delightfully odd characters. He asks what it is to be an eccentric. Is it simply to thrive on creativity and non-conformity, and where does this incarnation of Englishness stem from? Hemming concludes that this tribe is, in fact, in rude health, as essential as ever to the English national identity, only they are no longer to be found where you’d expect them.’